Dogs can smell so much better than people can, and they use their olfactory sense to create images in their minds. Why not zone in on this sense and create a sniffing experience for your dog? There are so many ideas – all it takes is a bit of imagination. The sniffari is normally done outside on a long walk, during which your dog can sniff at everything safe. We’re adapting it slightly for those cold days when your dog needs to get some exercise.
Inside
Occupy your dog somewhere else while you set up a trail for him to follow inside the house. You can use anything that he loves. To make the experience more interesting, use something that he is not familiar with – like a new toy.
You can keep him on a leash if you want to, or let him sniff around on his own, but supervise him to ensure that he stays safe. Besides, his reactions will probably be so entertaining that you’ll want to watch him discover all the ‘new’ smells in the home.
Make sure that the items that you use are safe for dogs, and steer clear of essential oils, candles and other strong smells that could harm your dog.
Start with a small treat; then, hide something with a smell that he isn’t used to, like a potato. Then place another item a little further away, like a small piece of vienna, a shoe or two, and other items that he normally doesn’t get access to. Keep his favourite toy or blanket for the end of the trail. Your trail can even lead outside – from the back door, through the garden and in through the front door.
To read the rest of this article, get the June 2022 copy of Animaltalk magazine, or order a printed or digital copy from www.coolmags.co.za.
